


Finery

by grayorca15, YearwalktheWorld



Series: Skynet: 900 [23]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Wings, Drama, Established Relationship, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Romance, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-03-07 09:43:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18870679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grayorca15/pseuds/grayorca15, https://archiveofourown.org/users/YearwalktheWorld/pseuds/YearwalktheWorld
Summary: Wings AU. Romance.exe has stopped working.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yay, more nonlinear character stuff from us. And even more not-catering to popular fandom choices. Tags to be updated as we add more. Takes place sometime after _Clipped_.
> 
> #whocares

As a general rule, one wasn’t supposed to try and out-glamorize their partner. Not that the pair in question played by the same set of courtship rules as were commonly accepted. Most humans couldn’t agree on what proper wooing etiquette to follow on a good day. Any self-respecting android would acknowledge the differentiating gap between the mentalities of man versus machine, particularly when it came to the subject of attraction.

Unfortunately for our particular RK900, insecurities weren’t so easily swayed without confiding some extent of them in his human counterpart.

Even more unfortunately, Gavin Reed could be counted on for sound romantic advice the same way one couldn’t count on boxer shorts in a blizzard.

It didn’t anywhere near enough important parts.

——-

To some extent, Noah was used to being laughed at. His patchwork pedigree made it unavoidable. But never had he been guffawed at to his face, so loudly, and so prolonged those others present in the station were starting to look their way with eyebrows raised. Falling back on his machine-like impassiveness, he set his face to neutral, his own eyebrows held low, staring straight ahead without so much as a blink. At the very least, by not reacting, he could make Detective Reed’s laughter seem all the more overblown and manic in comparison.

Two minutes after the fit started, it wound down enough for him to speak:

“It’s not that funny, Detective.”

But he should have known better than to think Reed wouldn’t find it amusing.

Eh, details, details.

“Oh, fuck, you think not? It’s so - fuckin’, like, doubly funny, because it’s you!” Looking at Noah’s blank face again, Gavin let out another howl of laughter, physically doubling over with it. “Ohh, shit, man. I don’t care what anyone else says. You are fuckin’  _ gold _ sometimes, N.” 

Feeling something akin to a pair of pliers clamping their tines over his temples, Noah closed his eyes and sat back in his chair by way of demonstrating exasperation. To anyone else, he might have looked as if he were mustering up patience.

In part, he was.

In reality, he just wanted to rewind the last five minutes of his life, so very badly. But even androids didn’t have that kind of time-space power.

“I regret telling you already.”

“Okay, okay, fuck, I'll stop.” Laughter abruptly cutting off, save for a few more recovering breaths, Gavin seemed to attempt to become more serious, even if it was only slightly so. “Okay, yeah, I get it, you embarrassed yourself, and her. Shit, dude, if it's only your first time doin’ that, you're doin’ fucking good I would say.” 

“First time so publicly.” Leaving his admission at that, Noah risked a glance around the bullpen. Thankfully, even if their colleagues were now in the know, or wondering just what Reed found so uproariously hilarious, they were turning their own eyes back to their work. Thank rA9 for small mercies. “I was - a little too overzealous.”

Which was a fancy way of saying ‘excited to try out the idea of gift-giving’. Because even an RK900 could fall victim to moments of overexcitability, even one as relatively ‘long lived’ as himself.

He would think twice next time, of when and  _ where _ it would be appropriate to bestow such gifts. New rule number one - no audiences.

But so long as they were on the subject, why else was he discussing it?

“I gather you’re implying it won’t be the last time, either?”

“Nah, man, I mean, isn't it like a shit ton of any relationship just bein’ a fucking idiot?” Sounding all too confident for a man who hadn't ever been in a steady relationship for more than a couple months, tops, Gavin nodded along to his own words. “It's like, you act like an idiot once, then the other person gets to, and it's just that sorta back-and-forth shit. You'll be fine, just don't think too hard about this stuff.” 

Now there was an effectively useless nugget of ‘wisdom’. For the better part of his life, all Noah did was think. Computers were made for that. This affair shouldn’t be so different.

“Lilly isn’t an idiot.” Catching just what he had blurted out once his own ears heard it, Noah slapped a hand over his face - another learned behavior of disbelief. “I mean - how does that add up? You’re saying relationships are basically built on a foundation of mistakes?”

“Well, duh! I mean, that's what makes fuckin’ sense to me.” Throwing his arms up, as if he expected Noah to instantly understand and agree with his assessment, Gavin let out a huff. “I ain't sayin’ she's an idiot, either, just that you just make mistakes all around and that's what makes you stronger if you stay together, or some shit. Right?” 

Right.

Wait.

A tad flustered, and not too shy in admitting it, Noah pinched the bridge of his nose by way of a snap-out-of-it gesture. “No. What makes sense to you versus me are two very different things, Detective.” Shaking his head, he turned his focus back to the terminal, swiping forward to review a waiting autopsy report. “Nevermind, I’ll figure it out later. I’m sorry for involving you even this much.”

“Woah, woah, hey, whoever said I was done? You need advice, I'm givin’ it!” Leaning a bit forward, Gavin grabbed his shoulder, snapping his fingers to try and get his attention back. “Come on. How am I wrong? Mistakes are what made our friendship work. It's what works for all of them, dude.” 

True, perhaps there were some parallels. But there were even more aspects that didn’t line up. Chief among them was the fact theirs was a working, ‘professional’ relationship - not the kind of intimate, private dynamic that involved kissing and tactile interfaces.

Potentially.

As yet, he hadn’t pressed either gesture, and neither had she.

Just the contrast of the thought made Noah want to cringe. For the moment, he covered it with a deadpan glare and slapped Reed’s hand away. “I didn’t say I’m in need of an indefinite supply of it, though.”

“Well, you didn't seem to have a whole lotta options, either, huh?” Glaring at him for the hand slap, Gavin at least begrudgingly retreated a half step away, but didn't let up on whatever quest he had made to bestow all the advice he thought he had. “All I'm sayin’ is, you're stressin’ out way too fucking hard over how you think it should go, you know? Bein’ an idiot for a moment is how it works. So don't bring shit up again and try to explain yourself, that'll just make it awkward.” 

It was already awkward. To mention the failed presentation to Lilly at any point in the near future, of course he hadn’t planned on it. And yet the fact Gavin was suggesting he do exactly that was only recasting it with another fresh layer of doubt.

Was it better to let the mishap lie, really, or try and smooth it over?

Noah lowered his voice as dispatch chatter abruptly lit up the squad room. “But I owe her an explanation, at least. An apology, bare minimum. I don’t want her to think it’s - how I always am.”

Great - what began as part deflection turned part insecurity, pushing past whatever wall he was trying to erect. In numerical terms, he had only managed a questionable sixty-percent valid excuse there.

_ Snap. _

“What's there to explain? You fucked up once, man, big deal. Can't you just… assume she already knows what you meant to do?” 

Tempting as it was to argue, say it wasn’t the same thing because knowing was always better than assuming, Noah bit his tongue and glanced away instead.

Gavin wasn’t there. He hadn’t heard what their hecklers threw their way. And it was all too fresh in the android’s short term recollection.

_ (“You think that’s how it works, just up and copying what you see? It isn’t. Get outta here with that shit, think up your own customs, assumin’ you even can.”) _

So went the sentiments the crowd/mob had hurled their way. Singled out as they were, abruptly given room as if there were some contagion the humans were afraid of catching, Noah hadn’t thought his simple plan could go so sideways. Nor did Lilly seem prepared for how instantly ostracized they had been. Their mutually-bemused silence only seemed to incite the naysayers. Voices were raised to the point security guards from inside City Hall trekked out onto the stairs.

Bidding each other awkward goodbyes, both androids quickly cleared to the scene to attend to their respective duties.

Replaying the incident behind his eyes, Noah scoffed, staving off another wash of shame. He shouldn’t have gotten so ahead of himself. That was all it boiled down to.

“I was an idiot at her expense. She knows that as much as anything, good intentions or not.”

“At her expense? Eh… I mean, yeah, maybe you should apologize, then. For a fucking ring…” Shaking his head at that, Gavin scoffed in turn. He wasn’t dumb. He knew what the symbolic mishap represented. “Yeah, I wouldn't think I would hafta fuckin’ apologize for that.” 

The latter remark wasn’t muttered quietly enough. And that was one reason, out of a probable countless multitude, as to why thirty-six-year-old Reed was single. 

But did that make him a better default sounding board than no one at all?

The jury was still out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uh huh. It’s that scene.
> 
> She’s not just free for the taking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Faceclaim:  
> Javier Sindino... Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal, Dr. Strange)
> 
> Wouldn’t you be a little cautious?

Knowing what he did - which was a considerable amount - it shouldn’t exactly count as a surprise whenever Javier Sindino turned up anywhere without warning. He was by no means blacklisted in the city of Detroit, but nor was his presence typically a sign of anything good. One need only backtrack a year ago, and then fast forward a few months, to see why only some string-pulling by him resulted in a good fourth of the DPD being cleaned out.

Compared to that exodus of corruption, Noah had counted the ‘liberation’ of himself and his fellow RK900 variants to be a convenient byproduct of the aforementioned event.

Now, however, he wasn’t feeling so good about indulging in said freedom.

——-

“Hello, Noah.”

Why Javier picked the foot of a lighthouse for a meeting spot was anyone's guess. Millikan State Park was public as any other place in Detroit. Perhaps it just happened to be isolated enough, for him, to feel reasonably comfortable that no one would intrude. Even in the middle of broad daylight, the multimillionaire seemingly had no qualms about donning a trenchcoat and weaving his way into the masses.

Something about his chosen appearance, nevermind notoriety, ensured it.

Nevertheless, Noah paused midshuffle through the deck of cards, taking a few seconds to digest just where he had heard that peculiar accent. Then, steeling himself for the inevitable encounter, he glanced up from where he had been sitting on the bench.

Glibness would do him zero favors here.

“Hello, Mr. Sindino.”

Giving him a thin-lipped smile, Javier managed to convey a distinct sense of displeasure with just one slight facial expression. Hands in his pockets, he sat down next to Noah, not asking for permission. The affirmative was virtually a given, anyway.

“I heard you had an incident the other day.” No beating out the bush from Sindino. Simply straight into the matter at hand. “Unfortunate, Lilly had to be present.”

Averting his eyes long enough to slide the cards back into a neat pile, Noah clasped his hands around them, sitting up straight to match. There was no room to slouch around this individual.

Because of course the only reason for orchestrating this rendezvous at all was to discuss the delicate matter of a certain RT600.

“I - yes, sir, she - we were only - ” Cutting himself off,est he stammer right into more hot water, Noah bit the insides of his cheeks, brow furrowed. He took a moment to recompose his thoughts into something more understandable, glancing back at his borderline-unwanted company. “I know, and I intend to apologize. I just haven’t - decided how, yet.”

Taking a moment to consider his words, Javier tilted his head, with a little half smile. “Hmm. I suppose I'm wondering why the incident occurred in the first place, Noah. I presumed you would understand what a ring given in public would mean, for human customs.”

“I wasn’t down on one knee,” Noah retorted, mindful to keep his intonation free of any real sarcasm. It was what he had concluded, insofar as how mistaken that crowd had been, eavesdropping on the intimate moment as they were. If anything, _they_ were in the wrong for barging into a matter that had virtually nothing to do with them. “I was - overeager to share. I didn’t think.”

Again, ‘like some giddy middle schooler with their first crush’ - as Detective Reed had so aptly put it.

“That much, I can agree with. And I can understand, to a reasonable extent, that humans projected onto your actions, but…” Trailing off, Javier turned back toward him, neutral expression fading to a pensive frown. “It's up to you, Noah, to understand how they will act. However unfair you may find it, you need to be a step ahead.”

And the underlying message going unspoken behind that advice couldn’t be more clear:

_Anything that involves compromising Lilly’s welfare will not be taken lightly. You cannot afford that bill._

Letting his gaze falter and veer away just a moment, Noah glanced back again, setting his jaw. Fidgeting episode over, he pocketed the cards inside the flap of his jacket. “It won’t happen again. That’s as far ahead as I’ve thought. I wouldn’t intentionally humiliate her if I thought bystanders would make it something it wasn’t.”

Part of his flawed reasoning had been in the locale. It was city hall. The atmosphere there was never so dissociative and without order to think a mob could spring up with just a dash of fuel thrown into their midst.

“Intentional or unintentional, I trust it won't happen again.” Eyebrows raised at him for a moment, Javier settled back against the bench afterwards, seemingly with nothing else to really add. Besides another veiled warning, perhaps. “You'll make sure of that, yes?”

The very air around them seemed to crackle and cool a few degrees. Assurances only went so far. Sindino would only believe him in the event this meeting was never given reason to be repeated.

“In the event I don’t, Lilly is more than justified to tell you everything and anything. I’m not that much of a fool, recent events notwithstanding.” Squaring his stance, Noah made to stand up. “If I was, I think she’d be wise enough to not be so… interested.”

To even call their dynamic a relationship was jumping the gun a bit. Professional obligations had kept them on opposite sides of the judicial system for considerable time before Lilly ever turned up at the station of her own volition. For once cooperation on a case hadn’t been the reason someone besides Gavin wanted to talk to him, and Noah would be lying (poorly as ever) to say it didn’t immediately intrigue him.

On the other hand, it was just his (bad?) luck Sindino considered her a kind of honorary niece.

As fast as a whip, Javier reached up and grabbed Noah's sleeve, forcing him to stop where he was. “I didn't say we were done speaking so soon, Noah.”

Frozen in that awkward place between shifting his weight onto his feet, the RK900 didn’t dare tug away. Joints locked, gravity grabbed hold and pulled him back into the bench. Outwardly, he let only a little irritation show through, eyes going a few degrees narrower.

Inwardly, a mild sense of petrifying fear settled in his midsection. The thirium circulating through his torso went a few degrees hotter.

Why? What more was there to discuss? Javier could simply assume this was the end of it. One semi-delayed apology later, the spark of interest would fizzle and die. She would realize what a waste of time and attention he was. Then Lilly would be free to pursue whoever else her eye fancied, who also had the businessman’s unspoken vouch-for.

“Seeing as how Lilly seems to have found herself quite - enamored with you, I don't see any reason why I can't get to know you.” Offering another smile, this one at least a few shades more neutral than the last, Javier let go of his sleeve.

“You already know everything.” Flatly as that came out, Noah didn’t have to exaggerate. Few people on this planet rivaled Elijah Kamski in terms of cryptic all-knowing candidness. The man whose business it was to build CyberLife’s assembly factories counted as one. That kind of duty wasn’t entrusted to just anyone.

Being instantly leery of Sindino, especially in moments of geniality, was the smartest thing one could do. At the onset of the corruption exposure, Hank Anderson was quick to teach them this before anything else. Never believe anything one-hundred percent. Do as the tycoon says without question. Thus far, it appeared to be paying off.

Then Lilly _had_ to go and be reassigned to the district attorney’s office.

“I suppose I wanted to inform you, of others. I think we can both agree that it would be terribly cliche if I attempted to threaten you with that knowledge.” One eyebrow going up, Javier made it clear that it was of no use to go down such an avenue, when it was Sindino himself Noah was talking to. “But if she insists on you, you should know.”

“That you’re not the only judge I need to mind? I figured as much.” Reigning in the sarcasm, reminding himself this was as far away from Gavin Reed as company could get, Noah sat back, crossing his ankles, hands in his lap. Taking a brief sweep of the area, making sure there weren’t too many passersby watching where they shouldn’t, he added, “And that’s the trouble with CyCorp - you’re too transparent and visible at the same time.”

“The only trouble is that which you have with the company. I merely wanted to afford you the knowledge, that there isn't just me.” Not sounding half as defensive as anyone else might have, Javier didn't react much to the words. “Even if you suspected, it's better you know, before they show up on their own volition.”

Noah kept any resulting eyeroll in check with feigning a sudden interest in his false, unchanging fingernails. “Do they favor knives or firearms?”

There was the real useful information to have.

“If you have to ask, I would say it's too late to put that to any good use, Noah.”

“Yes, well, by your standards, the entire world is running late, compared to your infallible foresight.” Clipped as the words were, Noah dropped his hand, resisting any urge to defensively fold his arms. He was broadcasting enough nervousness already. “Do these ‘associates’ have names, at least?”

At the very least, if Lilly brought them up, he wouldn’t be totally confused as to who she was talking about.

“...There's no harm in you knowing that.” Seemingly reasoning with himself, Javier nodded again, looking half contemplative. “There's three others who are… not the conventional android - Dorian, Elliott and Tyrell. I suppose they could be considered Lilly's cousins, in a sense.”

Because the unspoken rule of trios held true for CyCorp in the same way it did for CyberLife. Javier didn’t need to say as much for dots to be connected. That, plus describing them as Lilly’s cousins, said just how closely they regarded one another.

At least he couldn’t be blindsided as many now as he could have before.

“Hmm. No witness protection for them like there was for her, though?” Draping one arm over the backrest, Noah’s eyes roved just far enough away to seem casual. Some new intel to work with was better than none at all. “I understand Kamski doesn’t run a boarding house, and yet…”

The rest was a murky subject. At a glance, it didn’t make sense why the former CEO would hide any run-of-the-mill deviant. With a second, deeper look, the inference was clear: that deviant would have to be something special to be called an exception the rule.

“They don't require it.” Suddenly drawing sharp, like a sword set on edge, Javier narrowed his eyes at him, head cocked to one side as he seemed to be considering the subject. “They're relatively safe, and that's all you need to know, isn't it? I've given you the information you deserved by now.”

“Good. Because I know there’s only so much you’ll tell me, regardless of Lilly’s interests.” Pausing to let that sink in, Noah glanced up at the lighthouse looming over them. It was no coincidence this was the place he had once come to so often when feeling misanthropic. “She’s likely told them all she’s told you. I get the message - I need to watch my step.”

“I would if I were you, yes. Unlikely as it seems, you are, in part, a good cover for her as well. It would do good for you two to stay together.”

Would it?

Assuming he didn’t make any more hasty, foolish moves, or put themselves in any place to be so publicly denounced, there was a chance of it. He wasn’t about to press if Lilly decided there was someone better to see, socially. Whatever she presently saw in him, it was probably only a passing curiosity.

And wouldn’t her adopted family be pleased to hear it? Sindino’s smiles could only veil so much distaste. Asking him about it to his face was effectively useless. He would rather Lilly trade up.

How she would do so, that was anyone’s guess. Apparently what she found attractive about him wasn’t his patchwork design or facsimile of a personality.

“Oh?” Noah scowled, more puzzled than truly annoyed. “What makes me a good cover, exactly? Is it my station, or being the flunk-out of my series?”

He wasn’t daft. Neither of these qualities lined up with what made Kamski’s mansion such a suitable hiding place for her.

“You know that's not why. But staying close to those who people wouldn't expect you to ever do so… it's very clever, in that way.” Looking ahead, Javier seemed to decide that their conversation was coming to a close. “If you need more information, perhaps Lilly would provide some for you.”

Tempting as that was, so was the tease laid in front of him now.

“Are you insinuating she’s a suspect of some kind?” Scoffing again, Noah decided that was worth a proper eyeroll. “Of course you are. But what she’s guilty of, exactly, you’ll never say.”

Also in the vein of terrible cliches was the expression of falling victim to costs of attraction. Yes, perhaps they were both in that boat, but if there was any reason to be leery of Lilly, her honorary uncle was implying as much, here and now. She wasn’t just a pretty face, in all the good and bad that suggested.

Either way, it was intriguing.

“I won't. It would probably be best if you drop that altogether, Noah. Wouldn't you just like to keep her safe, and happy?” Patting his leg once, Javier shrugged, as if their conversation was merely casual. “For her sake, just be happy yourself, yes?”

Gavin would tell him much the same, and already had to an extent, albeit with more vulgarity and exasperation. This wasn’t some mission with clearly-defined objectives in mind. It was someone wanting to connect, for no other ulterior reason than a desire to. Or so Lilly would have him believe. It couldn’t be as simple as her enjoying his company, could it?

So few other people ever seemed to want to. He didn’t really need to dissect the motives of one of those rare few. Even his own subroutines seemed to know better, thinking it was a good idea to fashion a ring out of copper wire, taking command of his higher functions in a way that only autopilot had before.

Sindino said it already: keep Lilly safe and happy.

Whatever that meant, it was something to aspire to.

A half-smile was as much as he ever typically managed in times of contentment. Taking no pains to hide it, he cast Javier a shrewd glance, and a challenging tease to match. “We’ll see if I can outdo you there yet.”

Javier returned it with his own version of a smile, closer to a wry grimace, but it was as much as he could probably manage, at the moment. He had effectively given his blessing to the idea. “I suppose so.”

It wasn’t quite on par with asking permission to marry someone.

But the through-gritted-teeth affirmative was unmistakable.


End file.
